Aquila Theatre, the foremost producer of touring classical theatre in the United States, presents William Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Mary Shelly’s Frankenstein, adapted by Desiree Sanchez and Peter Meineck. Directed by Aquila’s Executive Artistic Director Desiree Sanchez, both plays will be performed in repertory.

Full of memorable characters- Puck, Oberon, Hippolyta, and Nick Bottom- and the famous “play with a play”, A Midsummer Night’s Dream deals with the universal theme of love, and its attendant complications: passion, lust, frustration, depression, confusion, and, of course, marriage. Aquila Theatre weaves a web of theatrical magic that will take audiences to the heart of an enchanted forest, the injustice of the Athenian court, and the political strife of the fairy kingdom. At the heart of the story is the Fairy King’s servant, the impish Puck, whose magic creates an endless supply of mirth, mistaken identity, and inappropriate, if not absolutely ludicrous passions. He is set loose in the forest with his enchanted love drops which, when sprinkled into the eyes of the sleeping, charm the sleeper into a state of mad passion for the first person they see when they awake.

Victor Frankenstein is a Swiss scientist with a mission to create an artificial human. Without considering the consequences of such progress, he succeeds with terrifying results. After wandering the world alone, the monster eventually comes for Frankenstein’s family. Horrific events unfold until the doctor tentatively agrees to create a partner for the creature. Ultimately, the doctor refuses in an effort to spare humanity but bears the terrible and personal penalties of his decision. Two hundred years later, Frankenstein still poses a myriad of critical ethical questions. Aquila Theatre’s production of this timeless classic will be bold and thrilling – while paying homage to the original, frightening writing of Mary Shelley.

A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein has scenic and lighting design by Stevie Mackie, costume design by Lara de Bruijn and Peter Todd, sound design by Jo Walker, and projections designed by Declan Randall. The Properties Master is Lauren Jean Russell. The assistant director is James Lavender, the fight director is Tom Ziebell, and the Production Stage Manager / AV Tech is John Nehlich.